TNAG-0582-FCO40-715-Requisitioning-of-Ships-Order-1969-validity-of-order-need-f-1976 — Page 53

لایا

Mr Wilberforce

SECRET

ник

HUCK 064/548/1

The

I have managed to obtain the Hong Kong file on which the 1969 Order mentioned in Mr Bristow's letter below was dealt with. savingram under reference is flagged D. The Order was not published.

The background is set out in Mr Carter's submission of 9 October, 1969 flagged A. From this it is clear that this is more a matter for the Hong Kong Department than for Defence Department. The answer appears to be that the Order is still in force.

With regard to X arrangements have been made for Mr Fletcher to call on the Ministry of Defence (DNOT) on 23 August to discuss questions connected with naval control of shipping in wartime (he is a member of the Hong Kong Shipping Advisory Committee, the equivalent of the UK Shipping Defence Advisory Committee run by MOD). He is also calling on the Shipping Policy Division of the Department of Trade on the same day to discuss shipping generally and, in particular, the war plans for the civil side of shipping in Hong Kong, eg the UK Shipping Representative Organisation. I suggest, if HK Department agree, that Mr Fletcher might be invited to call on a member of the Hong Kong Department to discuss present thinking on the need for the 1969 Order. Perhaps Mr Fraser or Mr Hooper of the Shipping Policy Division might also be present; in this connection the Board of Trade letter of 1 October 1969 flagged B, is apposite. Alternatively a member of the Hong Kong Department might care to attend the meeting in the Department of Trade which is at 2.30 pm on 23 August.

Ja

একlaeels

D WH Wickson

HKK 18/8

(1969)

4 August 1976

SECRET